As most lfs and wholesalers keep it around 1.019 I match that initially. I actually test the water the fish come in and adjust to be very close. To lower salinity helps fish deal with a varity if possible issues. When planing to move to my display I do a couple of water changes eith water taken from my display tank, slowly raising the salinity to match over 2 days or so.
Assuming it's a fish that can tolerate hyposalinity, I typically start them off at hypo levels (IIRC around 11-12 ppt). There are therapeutic benefits to this and it is also cheaper when you're doing water changes. Fish can handle a rapid drop in a salinity (so no big deal if the LFS had 1.019). It's on the way back up that you have to be more careful.
so basically your QT is already at 1.009 when introducing your fish?
Correct.
and this is safe?
It is. I'd still float the bag in the QT water and replace their bag water with QT water in stages to acclimate them a bit. But in general hypo during QT is quite safe if done properly. Also need to be careful with combining with certain meds (prazipro is okay but I'm pretty sure copper is a no-no during hypo).
So qt at 1.019 and observe fish for a month unless hypo is needed is a better strat?My QT is at 1.019 (same as shipping salinity) and I use meds only when needed, as needed.
Hypo, while effective on Ick, is stil an unnatural environment for fish.
With QT at 1.019, the bag only needs temp matching, as shipping salinity is equal or higher.
The less changes are always the better route IMO. Why take them down farther in salinity. If your treating for Ick hypo is great but that's ALL hypo does.
The only salinity changes for my fish is from 1.019, up .001 daily, until 1.025 which is DT.
So qt at 1.019 and observe fish for a month unless hypo is needed is a better strat?
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